James Ernest (Ernie) Pascoe was born at Boharm on August 7, 1900. His parents James and Mary (Olten) Pascoe were pioneers who homesteaded in the district. Ernie had one brother and seven sisters.

When Ernie was four years old the family moved to Moose Jaw. His father was elected mayor in 1913, and again in 1929, 1930 and 1931. In 1919 Ernie joined the staff of the Moose Jaw Times for the summer before he entered the University of Saskatchewan. He graduated in 1924 with a Bachelor of Arts degree specializing in agriculture, economics, history and political science. While at University, Ernie became the managing editor of the University’s student newspaper, ‘The Sheaf’. In 1921 he served as his father’s campaign manager when the elder Pascoe sought to represent Moose Jaw in the provincial election. James Pascoe won the election and served as the only Progressive Conservative member in the Legislature from 1921 to 1925. After graduating in 1924 Ernie became night editor of the Moose Jaw Morning Herald. In 1929 he purchased his father’s farm in Boharm. With drought conditions being so bad, he took a job with the Regina Daily Star in 1931. He served as managing editor until 1940, and returned to the farm. In 1934 Ernie married Frances Green, also from a pioneer Moose Jaw family. They had no children. In 1941 they moved to Winnipeg where Ernie became night editor of ‘The Tribune’. From 1944 to 1946 he became the public relations director for the Wartime Prices and Trade Board. In 1946 the Pascoes returned to their farm. From 1952 to 1954 Ernie served as publicity director for the province’s royal commission on agricultural and rural life. He was chairman of Moose Jaw’s Golden Jubilee celebration in 1953 and publicity director for Saskatchewan’s Golden Jubilee in 1955.

In 1946 Ernie sought and lost the Progressive Conservative federal nomination in Moose Jaw constituency. In 1953 he won the nomination, but lost the seat to W. Ross Thatcher of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (C.C.F.). In 1957, he lost the seat narrowly to Louis H. Lewry of the C.C.F.. However in 1958 he won the seat in the Diefenbaker victory. He represented Moose Jaw in the House of Commons until 1968. He sat on Commons committees on banking and commerce, agriculture and transport and communications. Ernie and his wife returned once again to the farm until 1970 when he announced he would run for Mayor of Moose Jaw. He won the election by a slim majority over L.H. “Scoop” Lewry. At age 70 he was the oldest man to assume the position of Mayor of Moose Jaw. During his term in office arrangements culminated for grain to be transported from local rural elevators to the government elevator in Moose Jaw, there was greater communications with neighbouring rural municipalities as well as with federal and provincial governments.

J. Ernest Pascoe passed away in Moose Jaw on November 15, 1972. Predeceased by a brother Arthur, three sisters - Edith (Buddy) Pascoe, Mrs. C. W. (Clara) Crichton and Mrs. Roy (Vina) Hill. He was survived by his wife Frances; four sisters - Mrs. H. T. (Tress) Brown, Mrs. Andrew (Minnie) Bennie, Mrs. R. B. (Margery) Balfour and Grace Pascoe.
The two Pascoe mayors were the only mayors in Moose Jaw’s history to die in office.